WASHINGTON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George
W. Bush's public disapproval rate rose to a level higher than any other
presidents in the modern American history, according to a poll released on
Thursday.

The survey by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation
suggested that 71 percent of Americans disapprove of how the president is
handling his job.

U.S. President George W. Bush speaks
during the teachers of the year ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White
House in Washington April 30, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)Photo Gallery>>>

"This is the first time that any president's
disapproval rating has cracked the 70 percent mark," said CNN polling director
Keating Holland.

The previous record of the disapproval rate in CNN or
Gallup polling, 67 percent, was set by former President Harry Truman in January
1952 and former President Richard Nixon in August 1974 before he resigned.

However, the 28 percent of approval rate Bush gained
at the latest poll was still higher than the all-time lows set by Truman,24
percent, and Nixon, 24 percent.

The poll also showed that American public's support
for the Iraq war is down to the lowest level with 68 percent opposing the war,
which was considered as one of the reasons for Bush's unpopularity.

Beside the Iraq war, Bush's approval rate was also
dragged down by the feeble economy, it added.

The poll was conducted from Monday through Wednesday
among 10,008 Americans, with a sampling error plus or minus 3 percentage
points.